Middlemarch, Chapter 7 summary

What happens

1. Mr. Casaubon welcomes the prospect of marriage but finds his romantic feelings much weaker than poetry leads him to expect.
2. Dorothea offers to learn classical languages so she can read aloud and assist his scholarship.
3. He begins teaching her, while she hopes learning can help her judge religious and social duties.
4. Her difficulties discourage her, and Mr. Brooke argues that demanding intellectual work is unsuitable for women.
5. A discussion of music reveals Dorothea’s gratitude for Casaubon’s tastes and her uncle’s concern about her strong feelings.
6. Mr. Brooke approves the match and imagines church advancement for Casaubon; the narrator examines his readiness to hold differing views.

In this chapter

What to notice

Dorothea wants more than access to a learned husband. Her desire for independent understanding exceeds the supporting role that frames her lessons.

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